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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29414412">Adaptation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyperborean/pseuds/hyperborean'>hyperborean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns (2001), The Mummy Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:41:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>807</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29414412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyperborean/pseuds/hyperborean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a snowy day at O'Connell Manor. Ardeth adapts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ardeth Bay/Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Adaptation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>100% pure fluff brought to you by an unexpected snow day.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ardeth Bay had survived many trials and tribulations by being adaptable. </p><p>Still, neither Rick nor Evelyn had been sure what he would make of the snow. The stoic Medjai was not given to displays of wide-eyed wonder, but Rick figured his reaction when they had awoken to find the world blanketed in white had been close enough. </p><p>At least, until they had stepped outside and Ardeth had immediately turned to go back inside. </p><p>"Just give it a minute," Rick said, clasping their gloved hands together and dragging him out into the calf-deep snow. </p><p>"It's cold," Ardeth replied, in that flat tone of voice that also said 'you're insane' without actually saying it. </p><p>Rick laughed and tugged at his hand, pulling Ardeth into his arms. "Yeah, but that just makes warming up all the more fun."</p><p>They had been so distracted keeping warm that neither of them had noticed Evy sneak away until the first snowball hit, directly in the center of Rick's back. The next exploded against his shoulder as he turned, scattering icy white shrapnel through Ardeth's dark hair and beard. </p><p>"Get down!" Rick growled, grabbing Ardeth by the robes before he could react and shoving him behind a nearby hedge. Rick’s expression had turned into the hard lines of focus Ardeth knew from fighting by his side, but his eyes twinkled with laughter, and his touch was soft when he brushed the snow from Ardeth’s beard. “You alright?” </p><p>“Yes, just cold.”</p><p>Rick pulled him close again and let his lips warm Ardeth's until another snowball slammed into the hedge, showering them both with a spray of snowflakes. </p><p>Rick broke away, his eyes focusing sharply. He scooped up a handful of snow, packing it into a tight ball, and then placed it in Ardeth's gloved palm. "We can't stay pinned down here. You provide the cover fire, I'm going in." </p><p>Ardeth's eyes were wide, but he nodded. </p><p>Rick quickly rolled a few more balls of snow and made a pile next to Ardeth. When he was done he grabbed Ardeth's arms, eyes intense on his. "If I don't make it back, find someone else to keep you warm."</p><p>He crushed his lips to Ardeth's, and then he was gone. </p><p>The first snowball arced wide, missing Rick by a couple of feet as he rolled out from behind the hedge, found his footing, and took off at a run for a nearby statue. </p><p>Ardeth took his moment to pop up from behind cover and lobbed his own snowball in the direction the previous one had been fired from. </p><p>Evelyn squealed in surprise and ducked behind a nearby hedge of her own. The snow shattered harmlessly against the foliage, but it gave Rick the time he needed to get to cover. </p><p>The two men locked eyes as Ardeth ducked back down to arm himself again. They waited for a moment, then at Rick's nod Ardeth rose up and fired again. </p><p>There was no more cover between the statue and Evy's hedge, so Rick took a serpentine path through the snow, dodging what she managed to lob at him between Ardeth's volleys. </p><p>Ardeth saw it happen in slow motion as he lifted a freshly packed ball of snow. Rick was gaining on Evy's hiding place swiftly, but his foot suddenly slid sideways on a patch of loose powder. He recovered his balance just in time to receive a facefull of the next snowball she threw. </p><p>Ardeth - distracted by the overly dramatic way in which Rick was groaning and falling to the ground - didn't notice the next shot fired until it hit him squarely in the chest. The impact startled him enough to cost him his own footing on the slippery ground. </p><p>Evy made an alarmed sound and ran towards where he had landed on his bottom in the soft snow. She knelt next to him, brushing his robes clean. "Are you alright, Ardeth?" </p><p>He couldn't help but smile at the concern in her voice, a warmth spreading in his chest despite the chill of the air around them. "Yes, just cold." </p><p>"That means you have to warm him up," Rick called from where he was still laying on the ground. </p><p>She laughed, her eyes bright as she threw herself bodily at him and sent them both sprawling into the snow. The heat of her on top of him was a welcome contrast to the cold underneath his back. </p><p>They did their best to warm each other for a few moments, before an impatient voice cut in. "Hey, I'm cold too, ya know."</p><p>Evy and Ardeth both laughed, gathering each other from the snow and walking hand-in-hand to gather their husband, too. </p><p>Adapting to survive was a useful skill, Ardeth decided as the three of them went inside to warm each other fully, but adapting to enjoy was even better.</p>
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